The Best Coastal Cities to Fly A Drone

There's something about coastal cities that never fails to attract photography fans. The combination of sea, sun and skyline give you all the colors and contrast you need for a perfect shoot. And when you happen to be able to fly a drone with your camera attached, the possibilities expand even further.

We've put together a list of coastal cities that you might want to visit with your drone. Some are hot, some are cold, some aren't really cities at all. But they all have one thing in common: they look awesome from above.

Regulations surrounding drone flights for commercial and consumer pilots are changing all the time around the world. So before you rush off and start planning your next trip to fly a drone based on the clips below, be sure to check the latest legislation in your chosen destination.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Blue skies, crystal clear waters and a mountainous backdrop to die for. This is Honolulu, Hawaii. If you're brave enough to fly a drone out to sea, you can get great shots of the reefs under the surface, the waves breaking against the shore and the city skyline all in one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfJUf33rBsQ

Vik, Iceland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBfDSAYhC4Q

Admittedly, Vik is not a city. It's a small village in southern Iceland. So you're not going to find any cityscapes here. Instead, it's all about the natural features and one magnificent coastline. The beach of Reynisfjara is famous for its ominous black sand, imposing cliffs and basalt columns. Add those sights to the low light of a sunset and a few scenes you might recognize from Game of Thrones, and you've got yourself all the ingredients for a memorable day of aerial photography as you fly a drone along the shoreline.

San Francisco, California

San Francisco has plenty going for it from an aerial photography perspective: Iconic landmarks, the full might of the Pacific and the bright lights of the big city.

Why not fly a drone in the heart of the city and capture the Golden Gate Bridge in all its glory?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li9y9ZgdkPc

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is one of those cities that has it all: food, weather, architecture and a decent beach. Three of those four make for excellent aerial photography.

There are plenty of vantage points around the outskirts of the city to fly a drone and get great views across the skyline and out towards the Mediterranean.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clkaZIeBcPg

Venice, Italy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUtk1ZTlchU

Usually capturing footage from above is all about focusing on the bigger picture. But weirdly, aerial photography in Venice allows you to get a more intimate look at a city famous for what's going on at ground level.

It might be because, as a city built on a series of islands and connected by canals, Venice is defined and shaped by its relationship with water. To really appreciate this you have to get up in the air. Fly a drone here for some amazing visuals you can't get anywhere else.

The Whole of Norway

Sometimes a country is so photogenic that to pick out a single city - even a coastal one - is just not possible.

One of those countries is Norway. Part winter wonderland, part Jurassic Park, places and landscapes like this are the reason that people get into aerial photography in the first place. Must-visit locations for pilots to fly a drone include the spectacular Lysefjord and the mighty Lofoten Islands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccPGKI9hDbw&t=

Queenstown, New Zealand

New Zealand's South Island home to some of the most spectacular natural sights you're likely to see, which makes it an ideal venue for a week or two of drone aerial photography.

Queenstown is about as dramatic a city as you can imagine. As well as being dubbed the adventure capital of the world, it sits on the shores of Lake Wakatipu in the shadow of the snow-tipped Southern Alps. Take yourself out of the city and fly a drone in the Fjordland National Park for a taste of the scenery that has made New Zealand a world-renowned photography destination.

Malek Murison

Malek Murison is a technology journalist based in London who covers drone industry news and product reviews for DroneLife. He's written features for the Financial Times and words for some of the drone world's most exciting startups.